Oxygen distributor



Oct. 3, 1939. F. e. MANSON OXYGEN DISTRIBUTOR Filed Sept. 11, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 3, 1939. F. G. MANSON 2,114,523

OXYGEN DISTRIBUTOR Filed Sept. 11, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FRANK 6./7,4/vso/v a, Wi

Patented Oct. 3, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application September 11, 1937, Serial No. 163,356

9 Claims. 128-205) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, .1928; 370 0. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manu' factured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The invention relates to oxygen distributors and particularly to face mask oxygen distributor assemblies for supplying oxygen to airplane pliots at high altitudes.

The object of the invention is to provide a face mask oxygen distributor assembly of novel and improved construction having advantages of use ,and operation over all other types of oxygen masks in that it permits normal unrestricted breathing and exhalation through the nose and cation. v

Other objects and advantages of the invention may be apparent from the following detailed description and from the accompanying drawings,

go wherein:

Figure 1 is a front view of a face mask oxygen distributor assembly constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a side view;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view, in top plan, of the oxygen distributor.

Figure 4 is .a view, in front elevation, of the oxygen distributor;

Figure 5 is a cross-section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4, and

Figure 6 is a cross-section on line 86 of Figure 5 The,m'ask used with the oxygen distributor is preferably of the type illustrated in the drawings and consists ofa face piece In, chin piece II and strap I2. It is designed-to fit snugly over the nose and mouth and under the chin of the wearer. The nose portion l3 forms a protuberance on the face of the mask above the mouth portion and is completely open to the atmosphere at its under side M to permit breathing through the nose. The mouth portion of the mask is open to the atmosphere through a rectangular opening [5 to permit breathing through the mouth.

The oxygen distributor consists of upper and lower metal tubes l6 and I1 forming separate oxygen conduits; the lower tube being preferably straight and the upper tube arcuate as shown, in Figure 4. The lower tube I! has an open end I8 50 for connecting to a flexible oxygen supply tube and is closed at its opposite end It. The end 2|] of the upper tube I6 is soldered to the lower tube around an opening 2| in the latter spaced inwardly from the open end l8 of the tube. The opposite end22 of the upper tube is closed. Oxymouth with ample provision for vocal communi-- gen outlet openings 23 are provided in the top side of the upper tube It and similar openings 2| in the under side of the lower tube II. The oxygen outlet openings 23 and 24 are made at an angle to prevent-direct flow of the oxygen against themask wearers mouth and nose. A nose bafile plate 25 of sheet metal is attached to the upper tube I6 and amouth bafile 26 plate of similar material is attached to the lower tube I1. The outer surfaces of the baffle plates may be covered with leather. Themouth ballle plate 26 has an angularly bent portion 21 terminating in a right angularly disposed foot or flange 28. Soldered or 0therwise secured to the tubesli and I1 on-respectively-opposite sides of the plate portion 21 are, flanged metal sheets or plates 29 and 30; the latter being at the ends 19 and 22 of the tubes. The side plates 29 and 30, together with the plate portion 21, serve as spacers and supports for maintaining the distributor in proper outwardly spaced relation to the noseand mouth of the user; the feetor flanges of the plates being disposed as shown in Fig. 3 substantially in a common are conforming to the curvature of the mask. Small openings 3| are formed in each of the flanges for the reception of the attaching means.

The oxygen distributed is preferably attached to the mask by stitching 32, with the flange 28 of the mouth baiile plate 26 locatedimmediately below the lower edge of the mask mouth opening I 5 and with the upper edge of the nose baffle plate 25 extending up into the opening I 4 of the mask nose [3. The side plates 29 and 30 are fastened to the mask,at opposite sides of the 'opening l5 and occupy a mid position between the nose opening I4 and the ower portion of the mouth opening l5 to provide open spaces at the I upper and lower sides of the distributor. These open spaces, together with the open space between the upper and lower tubes l6 and Il, permil: substantially normal unrestricted breathing through the nose and mouth as well as vocal cbmmunication. The metal baflle plates around the mouth and nose cause the flow of oxygen from the oxygen outlet openings to be deflected up to the mouth and directly under the nose and also prevent too rapid difiusion of the oxygen away from the user. r From the foregoing it will be apparent that the invention provides a means of supplyingoxygen at high altitudes to an airplane pilot in such a manner that a column of oxygen gas is maintained around the user's nose and mouth without interfering with normal unrestricted breathing. As normal breathing is permitted with this type of distributor, means of vocal communication by radio is not prevented as is the case with all other types of oxygen mask assemblies where the pilot is required to have either a supply or an exhalation tube in his mouth. Fogging'of the pilots goggles and formation of ice around the distrib- 'utor due to restricted exhalation is avoided in this device by the provision for unrestricted exhalation.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

, 1. A face mask oxygen distributor assembly comprising a 'face mask having oral and nasal apertures open to the external atmosphere, and an oxygen distributor attached exteriorly to the mask between the said oral and nasal apertures and having oxygen outlet openings bailled for defleeting the oxygen through the said apertures of the mask. p

2. An oxygen distributor consisting of tubing having laterally adjacent branches one of which is adapted to fit in front of the mouth and the other under the nose of the user without closing the oral or nasal openings to the immediate outside atmosphere, said tubing having means for connecting to a source of oxygen supply and said branches having outlet openings for diffusion of the oxygen around the oral and nasal openings so that the oxygen and outside atmosphere may be breathed through these openings and without interference with the user's speech and baflles.

on the said branches of the tubing to prevent too rapid diffusion of the-oxygen away from the user.

3. An oxygen distributor comprising tubing closed at one end and having the opposite end open for connecting to a flexible oxygen supply tube and having oxygen outletopenings at opposite sides thereof, means attached to the tubing and engageable with the -head of the user for supporting the tubing in front of the mouth and under the nose of the userwithout closing the oral and nasal openings to the outside atmosphere, and bafile members on the tubing and inclined over the said oxygen outlet openings providing for separate and indirect bafiled' flow of oxygen to the nose and mouth. 1

4. An oxygen distributor comprising tubing having an open end for connecting to a source of oxygen supply and having oxygen outlet openings,

means for supporting the tubing in position above the mouth and under the nose of the user and spaced therefrom to permit normal unrestricted breathing with freedom of vocal communication, the'said oxygen outlet openings of the tubing being angularly disposed to prevent direct flow of the oxygen against' =-'the mouth and nose, and baflle .members carried by the tubing and extending around the mouth and under the nose.

5. An oxygen distributor comprising tubing adapted to be connected with a source of oxygen supply and having oxygen outlet openings in relatively spaced relation along the upper and lowersides, means on the said. tubing attachable to the person of the user to support the tubing in front of the mouth and under the nose of the user without closing the oral and nasal openings to the outside atmosphere, and baflles mounted on the said tubing adjacent the said openings to cause retarding the diffusion of the oxygen away from.

the user.

6. An oxygen distributor adapted to fit over the users mouth and under the nose and comprising metal tubing open at one end for connection with a source of oxygen supply and closed at the oppo-- site end and between the open and closed ends having separate upper and lower oxygen conduits, the upper conduit having oxygen outlet openings in its top side and the lower conduit having oxygen outlet openings in its bottom side, a nose baflle plate on the forward side of the upper conduit and extending upwardly and inwardly over the outlet openings in the said upper conduit, a mouth bafile plate on the forward side of the lower conduit and extending downwardly and inwardly under the outlet openings of the said lower conduits, and supporting plates secured to the said upper and lower conduits beyond the said baflle plates and extending rearwardly of the said conduits for supporting the latter in outwardly spaced relation to the mouth and nose of the user.

7. A face mask oxygen distributor assembly comprising a mask having oral and nasal apertures open to the external atmosphere, and an oxygen distributor on the outer side of the mask in spaced relation to the said apertures and having separate dispensing means for directing separate bafiled flow of oxygen through the said apertures.

8. An oxygen distributor having, in combination, a feed tube provided with means for connection with a source of oxygen supply and with an outlet for the difiusion' of the oxygen therefrom, means on the tube and engageable with the person of the user for supporting the tube with its outlet in the vicinity of the users nose and mouth so, that the external atmosphere as well as the oxygen may be breathed through'the oral and nasal openings without interference with the users speech, and baffles on the tube for -prevent-.

ing the too rapid diffusion of the oxygen away from the said vicinity. I

9. A device for supplying oxygen to pilots at high altitudes comprising the combination of aface mask and a tube on the outside of the mask adapted to be connected with a source of oxygen supply and provided with baffled openings for diffusion of oxygen in the vicinity of the wearer's 1 mouth and nose; said mask being open under the nose and in front of the mouth of the wearer so that the external atmosphere may be breathed as well-as such oxygen as may be deflected through these openings and without interference with the wearers speech.

FRANK -G. MANSON. 

